Improvement in machines for distributing pitch in barrels and casks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN J. sTUxENBonG, or oINoINNATI, oIIIo.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FDH DISTRIBUIING PITCH IN BARRELS AND CASKS..`

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,772, dated July 4, 187].

To all whom it may concern:-

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN J. STUKENBORG, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Distributing Pitch in Beer- Gasks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a sufficiently full, clear, and exact description thereof' to enable one skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification.

My invention relates to machines designed to give rotary motion to a beer-cask for the purpose of distributing hot pitch uniformly over the in terior of the cask; and consists, rst, in the pro- .vision of a revolving frame, in the interior of which the cask is secured centrally, the frame being constructed with two sets of journals, one in stationary bearings, upon which the frame rcvolves, and the other set in the frame itself at right angles to the first set, the second set being attached to the clamps that secure the cask, and revolving in two directions at the same time, viz., end over end with the frame, and upon its own axis, this double movement resulting in the distribution of pitch in a lining of uniform thickness over the interior of the cask. My invention further consists in a peculiar device for seeming the cask within the revolving frame, and in an apparatus for cooling the cask inside after it has been lined with pitch.

Fignre 1 is a plan of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a modification of the same.

A is the foundation frame of the machine, to which are firmly secured the stationary journalbearings B B. These bearings are sufficiently elevated to allow the revolving frame C to turn without striking the frame A or the ground. The revolving frame C is rigidly secured to the shafts or projecting horizontal journals D D which rest and revolve in the bearings B B. A bevelgear wheel, E, concentric to journal D, is fixed rigidly, by any preferred method, to the bearing B so that it cannot revolve. The shaft D has a spur-wheel, F, secured to it, which, by means of pinion G and crank H, serves to give a rotary motion to the frame C in the bearings B B. The cask I is secured between the adjustable clamps J J J journaled in the frame C at bearings K K', at right angles to the axis of bearing-shafts` A rotary motion (independent of the motion of frame C) is imparted to the cask by gearing L M N O l? or preferred train of gearing. Thus the cask is revolved in two directions at the same time at right angles to each other, a-nd when hot pitch is introduced into the cask and the machine set in motion the pitch is deposited in a layer of uniform thickness over the interior of the cask, and, owing to the motion being continuous and in two directions at the same time, the pitch can be deposited in a much thinner layer than the average of the unequal layer produced by hand labor. Thus less pitch is necessary and the layer deposited by the machine not so liable to crack in use. The clamps, as shown in Fig. 3-which is a detached cross sectionare shaped to t different sizes of casks, and are adjustable radially, being fastened in any position by nuts It. My preferred device for closing the clamps upon the cask and thus securing it is shown in Fig. 1, where thebars J J of the clamps are fitted to screwthreaded rods S attached to the bars T T. Common ratchet-levers, such as those used for ratchetdrills, can be attached to the rods S at V, and with these the bars and clamps J J can be drawn together to secure the cask and spread apart to release it, the rods S having, as shown, right-andleft-hand threads.

A simpler but not quite so perfect a method for operating the clamps is shown in Fig: 2, where one of the bars, J revolves upon the end of the screw V, and the other, `J revolves with the wheel L, the screw V being attached to the hub of the wheel by key a.. The screwV is held from turning by a feather 7 in plate b, and ts into a screw-thread in the wheel c. By turning the shaft d with a wrench the cask I can be secured or released. In order to always have the cask central the bar J is adjustable to suit dierent sizes of casks by simply withdrawing the key a. and turning the screw around within the screwthreaded hole in the hub of the wheel L until it is in the right position and then refitting the key. A pipe, e, is secured to the frame C of the machine, communicating with a hole or nozzle, f, in the bar T, Fig. l, through a packed union coupling,77 and with any exterior pipe through a hole, g, in the shaft I). A short piece of hose can be secured to the nozzle f to revolve'with the machine. When the cask is pitched, a current of air can be passed, through pipe e and the hose,

through the bung-hole of the cask and serve to cool the latter rapidly.

I am aware that it is common in machines used for pitching casks and for rinsing them to employ a double frame, the inner one of which, carrying the cask, is revolved in a plane at right angles to the plane in Which the outer one which supports it revolves, so that the cask is revolved on its aXis at the same time that it is turned end over end. I do not, therefore, claim, broadly, a machine for this purpose, Whi ch gives this compound movement to the cask, but limit my claim to the construction and combination of the parts employed to effect this result.

upon which it revolves, and journal-bearings K K at right angles to journal D D', upon which the cask revolves centrally Within the frame C, substantiallys and for the purpose specied.

2. The combination ofj ournaled bars T T', rightand-left-han d screw-threaded rods S S, and clamps J J J as and for the purpose specilied.

3. In the described 'combination with Jfhe revolving` frame (J `an`d the revolving cash-'frame J J J, the air-pipe e, connected substantially in the manner and for the purpose speciiied.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

BEN. J. STUKENBORG. Witnesses:

FRANK MILLWARD, J. L. WARTMANN. 

